Hydraulic jack



8. V. NOBLE HYDRAULIC JACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1947 Inventor Stanford l. Nap/ By '2 and mm My S. V- NOBLE HYDRAULIC JACK May 31, 1949,-

Filed Aug. 6, 1947 3 Sheets-She et 2 fillllllllwli J lllllllll II LIIIIL IIIIIJ I I I l l l m w a 1 m" Fl i r Fig].

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i i 'IIIIIII Inventor .Sfanford V Nob/e B Z and y 1949. s. v. NOBLE 2,471,770

HYDRAULIC J ACK Filed Aug. 6, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3 7 1 9 7 lg. 5 /0J Inventor Stanford l/. Nob/e Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC JACK Stanford V. Noble, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application August 6, 1947, Serial No. 766,661

6 Claims.

This invention relatesto improvements in bydraulic jacks of the type wherein a lifting ram is elevated by forcing fluid under pressure into the ram cylinder by means of a manually operable pump, and in which the fluid is bled from the ram cylinder by opening a manually operable bleed valve.

Heretofore, the pumps or jacks of the above type have been operated by means of a hand lever arranged so that use of the jack was difficult and inconvenient. Also, the prior jacks employed pump actuating hand levers having a detachable handle adapted to be removed and engaged with the bleed valve for actuating the same, thereby incurring the expenditure of a certain amount of time in transferring the handle from the lever to the bleed valve and vice versa. The primary object of the present invention is to make the use of a hydraulic jack more easy and convenient by providing a pump whose piston is retracted by a spring and projected by the actuation of an eccentric carried on a shaft adapted to be engagedby a rotatable detachable handle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the eccentric-carrying shaft may be moved longitudinally to disconnect the same from the eccentric and to operatively connect the same with the bleed valve, whereby the pump and bleed valve may be selectively actuated in an expeditious manner without disconnecting the handle from the eccentric-carrying shaft and engaging it with the needle valve. Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly broken away and in vertical section, of a hydraulic jack constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view partly intop plan and partly in section, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a viewsomewhat similar to Figure 2, of a modified formofthe invention;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 'll of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken substantially on line l0l0 of Figural);

Figure 11 is an elevational view of the type of handle preferably employed for actuating the pump of the present jack;

Figure 12 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line l2--l2 of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in plan and partly in section, showing the detachable connection between the handle and the eccentric-carrying shaft.

Referringin detail to the drawings, the present hydraulic jack includes a ram 5 mounted in a cylinder 6 which is provided with a jacket l to form a reservoir 8 in which fluid is stored. The cylinder and jacket are provided with a suitable base 9, andthe ram 5 is preferably of the multiple type comprising relatively movable inner and outer members l0 and ll provided at their lower ends with the usual leather cups l2 and I3. The area of the inner ram member 16 exposed to the action of the fluid forced under pressure into the lower end of cylinder 6 is greater than that of the outer member H exposed thereto so that in operation of the jack, the inner ram member l0 will be elevated first and elevation of the outer member II will follow. Suitable packing rings are provided at is and I5, respectively between the upper end of outer ram member II and inner rammember l6 and between the upper end ofcylinder 6 and the outer ram member H, to prevent outward leakage of fluid between these members. The inner ram member In is provided at the top with a head I6 to receive theload to be lifted by the jack, and such head maybe carriedby an adjustable extension in threaded engagement with the inner ram member ID as generally indicated at I! in Figure 5. The base 9 is provided with a passage l8 that connects the bottom of reser voir .8 with the bottom of cylinder 6, and this passage is controlled by a needle bleed valve I9 which may be opened to permit the fluid to pass from the cylinder 6 back to reservoir 8 when lowering of the ram and load is desired. Thus far described, the jack is of generally conventional construction.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, fluid is drawn from the reservoir 8 through a passage and past a check valve 2! of the base 9 into a vertical pump cylinder 22 mounted on the base 9, and said fluid is forced from said pump cylinder past a check valve 23 and through a passage 24 of the base 9 into the lower end. of the tram cylinder 6.. A piston/25 is reciprocable in the cylinder 22 to force the fluid past the check valve 23 and through the passage 24 into the ram cylinder to raise the ram. It will be seen that the needle Valve I9 is threaded as at 26 and is adapted to be turned to open and close the same. packing ring 2'! provided in the upper end of cylinder 22 and projects from -the uppenendiof the latter.

A horizontal shaft 28 is rotatably and axially slidable in spaced bearings 29 and. 30 respectively provided at the-upper "end'of a standard ?3'l| rigid with and rising from base 9 and fixed to the jacket I. Journaledonthe-shaft 28 between the bearings 29 and 30 is an eccentric 32 surrounded by a strap 33 which bears-upona head 34 provided on the upper end of pump piston 25, antifriction bearinglelements135 being interposed be tween the eccentric 32'and'strap 33. A crank arm 36 is journaled at one end on shaft 28 between eccentric 3.2 'andbea-ringtfl,and this crank arm is operativelyconnectedby means of a link 31 w-ithrafurther crank armi3-81secured-on the outer end of needle-valve f9. 'At their "adjacent sides, eccentric 32 and 'crank arm BB-are respectively provided-with recesses ,39 and slots '49, and

the shaft 32-8 carries a cross-pin 4|. .At'its; outer end, shaft 28 isproviidedfWith 'a head 42, and a spring 43 'is interposed between *bearing 29 "and head '42 so as to "normally yielolinglymove "the shaft 28 to an outward "position and to 'permit axial movement of the shaft28toan inward position. The arrangement jisfsu'chjthat'when the shaft '28 .is in an outwardiposition, crossgpin 4'} is engaged in recesses 39so as tofix'the eccentric 32 to shaft 28*for actuation by the latter a d to unclutch shaft 28 from ,cran'k arm '36. Thus, when a suitable handle is en aged "at one end with the head'42, rotation of .such handle .willbe imparted'to'shaft'28 for rotating eccentricl32 and causing downwardmovement of'pump piston 25. This piston'is forced upwardly after, each pumping stroke by a coilspring 44 surrounding the pump cylinder 22 and resting upon the base 9, aswell as connected at its upperend to thelhead 34 of piston 25. The arrangement is also such that upon actuating'the handle to force .the shaft 28 inwardly, cross pin 41 is movedout of recesses '39 and into slots so as to disconnect shaft 28 from eccentric ,32 and connect it to the crank arm 36. Whilelthe Shaft 28 isfheldin this inward position, thehandle may be turned to rotate shaft 28 and thereby turn needle .valve l9 through the connection 3:1,138 so as to open said needle valve and permit the fluidl'to bleed from the ram cylinder 6 back'to the reservoir'8 so that lowerin of the ram and the load. is e'ifected. Oi. course,'previous reciprocation of pump'25will have caused fluid to be pumped from 't'he reservoirii "into the ram cylinder 6' for efiecting elevation pf the ram and load. As soonas the-ramhas completely low- The piston :25 extends pasta 4 ered, reverse rotation of shaft 28 While clutched to the crank arm 36 will effect turning of needle valve l9 for closing the same so as to condition the jack for the next jacking operation. The preferred form of operating handle and connection thereof with the head 42 are illustrated in Figures 11 to 13 inclusive. As shown, this handle comprises an elongated shank having a crank 45 at one end, the opposite end of the shank being formed to provide a gooseneck 46 whose free laterally directed end portion 41 is formed with a circumferential recess 48. The shank is preferably composed of elongated sections 49 and 5B whicheare foldable so that thet-handle may be compactly/stored .whennotlin use. E'or this purpose, the adajcent ends of the shank sections 49 and 59 are separately pivoted at 51 and 52 within a longitudinally split sleeve 53 whose intermediate portion is of semi-circular cross section and whose end .portionsareprovided with resilient extensions 54 that yieldingly hold the shank sections 49 and 59 in alignedrelation when the handle is unfolded. The head 42 of shaft 28 has a transverse opening as at 54 to receive the laterally directed end 41 of the handle as'shown in Figure 13, the

openingf-S being formed at-its outerside as indicated "at 55 toseatin==recess 4 8. The end 41 of the handle is pressedintoengagemeflt with the wall of opening "54 '"at-5 '5yby"means 'of a spring catch "56 which releasably iatchesthe en'd 41 0f the handle to the head 42 =with the shanksections 49 and 5,9 axially aligned with the shaft' fil. It will be apparent that the pump may beconveniently actuated even thought-he jack is -located a considerable distance inwardly-of an end of a motor vehicle beneath the Iatte13-andthe a'djacent bumper and other ipartsof the vehicle =w'ill not interfere with ready "actuation of the pump as is the case with hydraulics acks Whose pumps are actuated *by vertically swinging hand levers. The rotary actuation "of the "handle provides convenient and expeditious way of operatingttfhe jack'with a minimum expenditureof manual effort and time. I

Referring to the embodiment .of the invention illustrated in Figures 51'to-l0 iinc'lusive the tpumping "means orxdevice embodiestw o oppositely disposed pump cylinders 22a and'22b disposedjhorizontally in spaced relation,.;and the shaft 23" carrying eccentric 32' is {interposed midway between the c i is on 25 and 2 'ar reciprow-me in the b l n rs t ta s 22b and a tu ated'by -the 'eccentricfidffira suitable .Ues'hap ed spring 44 being anchored intermediate its ends tog-the base 9'an'd conneotedrat its ends to 'thep'istons s n bi o retrai t neth ilatte ll i his constructionga:passageflil provided with acheck valve 2! and a DaiSSageM provided withacheck valve 23 :is provided for each gpu np c linder. Also, with this arrangement,- the needle valve i9 is located'in axial 'alignementwithshait123 and is provided .Witha crofssjn 15. Thes'hafftiZB' is provided at its inner end a socket .110 receive'the'outer-end ,of valve 9 and thewallsof socket 56have slotsfi'l to'rece' theends of cross pin 55,. The ,pin 55.and slots 1 51 replace 1the7slots 4t, and the elements 3flgandj3l8 of Figure hare eliminated. The arrangement is such (that when shaft 2841's in it ou wa dms ign unde th i fluence of spring43, the cross pin ',4;l" i s engaged in recesses 39 of eccentric .327. Theflarrangement is also such that .upon invzardgmovementt of shaft 28 the outernend ojfneedle alve [9 is received in t- 6 andt eend 1 pre s -pin 5.5. r gaged in slots 51. Thisresult's in disconnection of shaft 28- from eccentric 32' and connection of shaft 28' directly with needle valve l9 whereby the needle valve may be turned to open or close the same while the pumps remain idle and fluid is bled from the ram cylinder back to the reservoir for allowing lowering of the ram and load. It will be seen that shaft 28' is coupled to needle valve l9 upon inward movement of said shaft against the action of spring 43 while uncoupling the shaft from the eccentric 32?. Also, shaft 28 is normally held in an outward position by spring 43 to couple said shaft to eccentric 32' and disconnect it from needle valve l9. When the shaft 28 is rotated in the outward position thereof the pumps are actuated to force the fluid into the ram cylinder for elevating the ram and load as with the form of Figure 1. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the inner bearing 30' of shaft 28' is counter-bored so as to accommodate the ends of cross pin 55 and permit turning of the needle valve E9, the counter-bore being indicated at 58. Other than generally described above, the construction of both forms of the invention is generally similar, and remaining similar parts of both forms are indicated by like reference numerals. While the form of Figure 5 is more complicated and expensive than that of Figure 1, it may be operated with greater ease and is more efficient and quicker in action.

As the operation of both forms of the invention has been explained during description of the construction, no further reference to the operation is deemed necessary. Other modifications and changes in details of construction are contemplated, such as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A hydraulic jack comprising a vertical ram cylinder, a ram in said ram cylinder, a reservoir, a pump for forcing fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder to raise said ram, said pump including a pump cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein, said jack including a part having a passage through which the fluid may be bled from the ram cylinder to the reservoir to allow the ram to lower, a valve rotatable to open and close said passage, means including a rotatable eccentric acting upon said piston for reciprocating the latter, a manually operable rotatable and axially movable shaft on which said eccentric is mounted, and means to simultaneously clutch said eccentric to said shaft and disconnect said shaft from said valve when said shaft is moved axially in one direction and to simultaneously unclutch said eccentric from said shaft and connect said shaft to said valve when said shaft is moved axially in the opposite direction, whereby the shaft may be selectively used to actuate the pump piston or the valve.

2. A hydraulic jack comprising a vertical ram cylinder, a ram in said ram cylinder, a reservoir, a pump for forcing fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder to raise said ram, said pump including a vertical pump cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein, said jack including a part having a passage through which the fluid may be bled from the ram cylinder to the reservoir to allow the ram to lower, a valve located at one side of said pump and rotatable to open and close said passage, means including a rotatable eccentric disposed above and acting upon said piston for reciprocating the latter, a manually operable rotatable and axially movable shaft on which said eccentric is mounted, a crank arm mounted on saidshaft, an operative connection between, said crank arm .and said valve, and means to simultaneously clutch said eccentric to said shaft and disconnect said shaft from said crank arm when said shaft is moved axially in one direction and to simultaneously unclutch said eccentric from said shaft and connect said shaft to said crank armwhen said shaft is moved axiallyin the other direction, whereby the shaft may be selectively used to actuate the pump piston or the valve. i

3. A hydraulic jack comprising a vertical ram cylinder, a ram in said ram cylinder, a reservoir, two oppositely disposed pumps for forcing fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder to raise said ram, each pump including a pump cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein, said jack including a part having a passage through which the fluid may be bled from the ram cylinder to the reservoir to allow the ram to lower, a valve rotatable to open and close said passage, means including a rotatable eccentric arranged between and acting upon said piston for reciprocating the latter so that the pumps alternately force the fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder, a manually operable rotatable and axially movable shaft on which said eccentric is mounted, and means to simultaneously clutch said eccentric to said shaft and disconnect said shaft from said valve when said shaft is moved axially in one direction and to simultaneously unclutch said eccentric from said shaft and connect said shaft to said valve when said shaft is moved axially in the opposite direction, whereby the shaft may be selectively used to actuate the pump pistons or the Valve.

4. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with yieldable means acting to normally move said shaft axially in said one direction so as to normally clutch the eccentric to said shaft and disconnect the shaft from the valve.

5. A hydraulic jack comprising a vertical ram cylinder, a rain in said ram cylinder, a reservoir, a pump for forcing fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder to raise the ram, said pump including a pump cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein, said jack including a part having a passage through which the fluid may be bled from the ram cylinder to the reservoir to allow the ram to lower, a valve rotatable to open and close said passage, means including a rotatable element acting upon said piston for reciprocating the latter, a manually operable rotatable and axially movable shaft carrying said element, and means to simultaneously clutch said element to said shaft and disconnect said shaft from said valve when said shaft is moved axially in one direction and to simultaneously unclutch said element from said shaft and connect said shaft to said valve when said shaft is moved axially in the opposite direction, whereby the shaft may be selectively used to actuate the pump piston or the valve.

6. A hydraulic jack comprising a vertical ram cylinder, a ram in said ram cylinder, a reservoir, a pump for forcing fluid from said reservoir into said ram cylinder to raise said ram, said pump including a pump cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein, said jack including a part having a passage through which the fluid may be bled from the ram cylinder to the reservoir to allow the ram to lower, a valve operable to open and close said passage, means including a rotatable eccentric member acting upon said piston for reciprocating the latter, a manually 

